Lover Behavior (Floyd Leech/Yuu)

20 ~ Mutual Reassurance

"Jade, don'tcha think you're spending too much time around Lil' Shrimpy lately?"

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"I mean, I want you to stay away from my girlfriend."

Jade brought a hand to his chest, giving Floyd a goading smile. "Why don't you talk to her about it?"

Yuu had started meeting up with Jade more frequently than she should've, and Floyd took notice. Even if he wasn't the comfort that she needed, she was so glad she could vent to someone that she began to latch onto Jade, in a sense.

It was almost as though she was trying to use Jade to fill the hole that Grim had left in her heart.

This only made things more amusing for Jade, so he allowed it to happen. He wasn't meeting with her because he felt sorry for her; he did it to keep himself entertained. It was all in his best interest.

"Jade, if you put Floyd in a bad mood today as well, I'll be deducting from your paycheck," Azul warned, returning a book to its home on the shelf he'd grabbed it from. "It's already been bad enough having him sulking for the last few days."

Jade's eyes only flitted to Azul for a moment. "Of course," he replied before turning his attention back to Floyd. "Are you worried about what she'll say if you confront her yourself?"

"I don't have anything to be worried about," Floyd scoffed.

"Oh, but you do. For example, what if she says that she loves me-"

Floyd grabbed Jade by his collar, snapping his teeth at him. "Don't think I won't kill you," he growled in a low tone.

"I don't doubt it," Jade chuckled, moving to grab Floyd's wrist and squeezing it tightly. "But doesn't your reaction mean that you're less secure in your relationship than you let on?"

"Azul, I wanna make a contract." He didn't let go of Jade's shirt, nor did he break eye contact.

Azul crossed his arms. "As much as I'd love to indulge you, I don't plan on making a deal with you while you're so taken by your emotions. Calm down first, then we'll talk."

"That's no fun, I won't wanna kill Jade when I'm all calmed down~"

Jade lowered Floyd's hand from his collar, keeping his firm hold on his wrist. "I assure you, as much as she wishes she doesn't, Yuu loves you."

"'Course she does. I just hate it when some people try and steal her from me." He snatched his wrist back from Jade, turning around. "So, Jade, you should stay in your lane and leave my Little Shrimp alone."

A laugh escaped Jade as Floyd stalked off, leaving him and Azul in the library. Azul turned to face Jade. "Should I be concerned?"

"You've no need to worry," Jade responded, staring off in the direction Floyd had gone in. "It's nothing that will affect the Mostro Lounge."

Floyd found Yuu sitting on a bench in the courtyard. "How's my Lil' Shrimpy doing~?" He sang, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her cheek.

"Better," she responded with a flat smile.

'Shrimpy, you're so lifeless now. How do I fix you?'

He moved to sit next to her, intertwining their fingers together. "Have you eaten today?"

'I have to make you love me again. You have to love me, at least a little.'

"A little bit..." she squeezed his hand gently. "I had an energy drink this morning..."

"Shrimpy, that's not food," he said concernedly. "Wait here a sec, I'll go grab you something!" Before she could protest, he dashed off, leaving her alone on the bench again.

'Alone.'

That was how Yuu was beginning to feel all the time. Regardless of if she was with Jade or Floyd, or Ace and Deuce, they were all beginning to feel hollow. It was getting harder to ignore her bad thoughts just for the sake of momentary comfort.

She wanted to be permanently okay.

But she knew that it was too late for that. She would never be okay again, not after the loss she'd suffered, and especially not after knowing she was in love with a serial killer.

Was 'in love' the right term for how she felt for Floyd? Or did she just need him? And Jade-was she falling for him? Or was she simply trying to convince herself that she was so she could quell that immense guilt she felt whenever she talked to him?

Jade was right. Anything was easier than accepting the turn of things and taking responsibility.

She hated herself for the way she reflexively started smiling upon seeing Floyd running back to her, waving a packaged sandwich in the air. Even after everything, she still couldn't tell if he truly cared for her in his own crooked way or if that was another desperate belief her brain was trying to latch onto.

"I remember you said you liked these sandwiches," he said as he handed her that along with a bottle of water. "You probably haven't drank a lot of water today either, so I made sure to grab you a bottle~"

She opened the sandwich package and nibbled at the edge. "Thank you," she mumbled, trying her best to look grateful. It was only because of his constant 'concern' that her physical health was still okay; if not, she probably would be neglecting herself much worse.

"Floyd, why do you love me?"

He blinked a few times, confusion apparent on his face. "Huh?"

"Why do you love me?"

"..." They stared at each other for a few moments, and Floyd reached out to Yuu's face, stroking her cheek. 'So my perfect Little Shrimpy needs reassurance, too.'

"Are you askin' why I started liking you, or why I still like you, or what I like about you?"

She leaned into his palm, her eyes fluttering shut. "All of that. Or, none of that. I don't know. Nothing. Everything. Anything." She took a long sip from her water bottle. "Just tell me something."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and nuzzled their noses together. "I love the way you smile whenever you see me," he started, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "You're so nice to everyone, even the people who don't deserve it."

"Is that so?" She laughed sourly.

"I dunno why you're asking me why I love you, but I'll keep talking. That what you want?" He pulled her to sit on his lap and kissed the back of her neck gently.

Yuu nodded, and he began listing everything that came to mind. She hugged his arms tightly around her, wanting to stay there with him forever.

'At least some things are the same as before.'